10th Amendment Press Releases

Today Rep. Pete Olson issued the following statement in honor of Constitution Day:

“The success of democracy in America has inspired other nations to change their form of government to give their citizens the most basic of rights. People from across the globe come to America seeking that freedom that we hold so dear.

“The basic rights that prompt envy of America are rooted in our Constitution, the document that set in motion the limited role of our centralized federal government. On September 17, 1787, members of the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the Constitution. Throughout the debate over what should be included in the document there was a clash over issues of state sovereignty and the distribution of power. Fears of creating a too powerful central authority ran high. One of the keys to success in our democracy has been limits on a centralized, federal authority. We must continue to reflect on the prescient vision of our forefathers during these challenging times.

“Today, most politicians make promises and grapple with the nation's problems without even acknowledging an important component to confront the nation's challenges: restore balanced federalism so that Washington no longer has to be the world’s problem solver.

“America is tired of top-down mandates from federal bureaucrats in Washington. I share their frustration and on this anniversary of Constitution Day, I pledge to continue to fight for a limited role for the federal government.